TeamEmbo

Is it really any harsher in UK?

This link would suggest not:

http://www.drinkdrivingfacts.com/drinkdriving/

lardyl

Erm no.....there are no "limited licenses" in the UK which are available for drink drivers and for those with too many de-merit points.

This guy is talking about technicalities which exist in all juristictions.

I used to work as a forensic scientist and accident investigator in the UK before I became a full-time fire investigator and there were ways and means of using science and the law to sway the court or "get off". Usually they involve the means whereby roadside and other tests were administered and people were cautioned, processed, etc.

These are well known and if you look on the equivalent NZ sites you will see them in use here. But as far as I am aware you cannot buy a limited license so you can drive for work in the UK. They certainly don't advertise them on the radio like they do in Auckland.

But of course no Kiwis need them just us lunatic Pomms and the asians who make the roads a dangerous place..........

The old saying goes - if you can win on a technicality, win on the technicality, if you can win on the law, win on the law, if you can win on the evidence, win on the evidence, if not then "personal attack".......these legal advisors are just going for their client at the root of the case.

lardyl

Believe it or not I was once charging 75GBP/hr to stand around all afternoon in order to "supervise" a drink-driver in the gents toilet and make sure he did not have a surrupticious drink whilst tests were done on his response to a breath testing machine. Had to hold his hand, litterally, when he went to pee, which after a few pints was quite often - luckily there were no "number ones".....

This was at the Lion premises in Newcastle.
You would be surprised what people will do to keep their license.

Money for old rope eh...........

lardyl

good to hear - there seems to be one matter that is stricter here - roadside tests can be purely random (or am I reading this wrong), In the UK the officer is supposed to have some evidence to lead them to suspect that the driver or person in charge of the vehicle has been drinking - although that is very subjective.

Kiwiprincess

I don't think drinking and driving is socially acceptable but obviously in some parts it seems it is. So I won't disagree with that. But I will disagree with a blanket assumption that it's acceptable.

But I can't recall anyone I know who would. My brother and I (chil'n of the 80s) both grew up having in rammed into our heads to not drink and drive. To not get into a car when someone had drunk. To not drive the next day with anyone who went out the night before.

It happens and fwiw, I think it happens too often. But I don't think it's acceptable. Anywhere I have worked has made it quite clear that taxi vouchers are available, or buses or trains. Or people are told to leave their cars at home.

Admittedly, we grew up in Wellington where public transport is available and taxis were pretty common. Even then, it meant sometimes shamefacedly either having to tell friends we had to leave in order to get the last train home or simply agreeing to have to pay for a $60 cab fare home. Then again, we lived a fair way out. Most of our friends wouldn't pay more than $20 to get home.

It wasn't acceptable amongst my friends to drink and drive. Ever.

It scares me when I see it - and it obviously still happens. But I can't agree there's some sort of blanket acceptance of it.

sr71

I know plenty of people that do it in Auckland and are obviously never caught. It is prevalent.

Also one of the big factors is cost - these people don't earn enough (or don't want) to afford the $50 taxi fare from the CBD to the suburbs. They'd rather spend the money on more 'puss' Just another example of the cheapskate/developing country attitude that exists in NZ.

garfield250

Drink driving is no more or less prevelant here than any where else, including the UK. But I think there is more emphasis placed on advertisments regarding the drinking, many of the adverts could not be displayed in the uK for fear of upsetting the PC brigade, which probably makes the subject more prevalent.

Each to their own, if those people who do drink and drive get away with it, then that is the risk they take, but surely the sensible thing is to report their actions, after all its not only themselves that are at risk.

In regards safer driving here than in the UK, i think that it is a purely geographical thing, I regularly use SH 3 and have not experienced any problems between New Plymouth or Palmerston North. My only gripe is the lack of use of indicators or inappropriate use of said indicators which generally adds to some confusion especially in and around the towns.

lardyl

Ditto and I know plenty of people who know the ways to get away with it too - it was the topic of a few side-conversations at "Friday Drinks" and I was rather taken aback at the people who knew what you could get away with and who you needed to see to get the limited licence. The limited licence is one of the problems with the system IMO.

Persephone

I think it must be Palmy drivers which are crap then! I do find drivers more unpredictable here and am driving more defensively. Will be interesting to see what they're like in Christchurch.
In my opinion it seems more likely here that a car will pull out in front of you. Now, either my car is invisible and I just haven't realised:the least likely reason], there is little appreciation of how fast other drivers are travelling or they just don't care-the other driver will just have to slow down
I also find it irritating how few drivers turn right correctly, the aim seems to be to use both sides of each road. Not a major problem unless someone is also pulling up to turn right out of the side road or there are pedestrians crossing- a few times I have had to stop away from the junction because someone has turned onto my side of the road. It's almost as if they don't expect any other cars to be on the road
In general though most drivers are ok , my opinion is that a higher percentage seem to be more careless with their driving.

To the OP- don't worry about driving over here, it isn't that bad. Main thing is the right hand turn rule which was mentioned above, I've been here 10months and still have to think about it as it doesn't come naturally!

I think it's just when you've been here a while the little things start to irritate more so come over and drive and don't worry about it

lardyl

yep, but I found the complete opposite - I am now far calmer until I get one of those days when every other driver wants me off the road..........

My wife used to say her car was great apart from when you had to accelerate or brake......

Bit like drivers in NZ, they're OK until they have to decide where to be on the road, whether or not to pull out, how to indicate, when to stop drinking, how close to approach the car in front and at what age they should be allowed to drive......
Ignoring all that they are great..........

Persephone

I'm just getting grumpier with age

Madmaxdeux

Is it not funny that as soon as you mention driving in New Zealand a few people get on their soap boxes and go on and on and on about the negative points.

May have escaped your notice the poster said FIRST TIME VISITOR

One thing I would like to add to the advice on driving in New Zealand and that is driving at Night! The last thing you want to be doing on unfamiler roads out of the well lit towns is to drive at night. Besides the safety factor ie on coming vehicles blinding you (get off the soap boxes before you start) your missing the scenery

lardyl

gawd - then we get the condascending NZ-o-phile Ex-ex-pat Kiwis who believe it is their duty to defend their country to the hilt.......

I'd find a board where people all agree and where they post that NZ is heaven on earth and take up residence there mate.............




........still looking.........?


yep, in case it escaped your attention, this in the internet, a forum, and some people in NZ find the driving to be rather agricultural........bit like some other aspects of life here, what with NZ being rather a rural-based and growing, young country..........but most of us like it like that although some consequences of it really hack some of us off. Hence we post............

Shame on us............yeah right!

janek

There's a point, with the night driving, possums can be a bit of a problem, if driving at night, and you come across one on the road, [a live one that is] do not swerve, just drive on.

BEVS

I like that. Karma your way.